Nervous System

• Nervous system


  The brain, as most of us call it
• Nervous system


  • It has the ability for humans to know oneself
  • This ability distinguishes and sets the human species apart from the rest of creation
• Consciousness


  The ability for humans to know oneself
• Intelligence


  The ability for humans to know oneself
• Nervous system's basic purpose


  • To coordinate all of the activities of the body
  • To enable the body to respond and adapt to changes that occur both inside and outside the body
• Central nervous system


  Made up of the brain and the spinal cord
• Sections of the brain


  • Cerebrum
  • Cerebellum
  • Diencephalon
  • Midbrain
  • Pons
  • Medulla oblongata
• Cerebrum


  • The largest section of the brain
  • Divided into two major hemispheres (right and left)
  • Further divided into four lobes (frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital)
• Frontal lobe


  Primarily responsible for reasoning and thought
• Parietal lobe


  Primarily responsible for integrating sensory information
• Temporal lobe


  Primarily responsible for processing auditory information from the ears
• Occipital lobe


  Primarily responsible for processing visual information from the eyes
• Cerebellum


  • Located in the back of the head below the cerebrum and above the first cervical of the neck
  • Responsible for muscle coordination, balance, posture, and muscle tone
• Diencephalon


  • Contains the thalamus and the hypothalamus
  • Thalamus behaves like a relay station and directs sensory impulses to the cerebrum
  • Hypothalamus controls and regulates autonomic nervous system functions
• Midbrain


  • Located below the cerebrum at the top of the brain stem
  • Responsible for certain eye and auditory reflexes
• Pons


  • Located below the midbrain in the brain stem
  • Responsible for certain reflex actions such as chewing, tasting, and saliva production
• Medulla oblongata


  • The lowest part of the brain stem
  • Connects with the spinal cord
  • Responsible for regulating heart and blood vessel function, digestion, respiration, swallowing, coughing, sneezing, and blood pressure
  • Also known as the center for respiration
• Spinal cord


  • The link between the brain and the nerves and the rest of the body
  • Divided into four different regions: cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and afferent and efferent spinal nerves
• Afferent spinal nerves


  Responsible for carrying information from the body to the brain
• Efferent spinal nerves


  Responsible for carrying information from the brain to the body
• Peripheral nervous system


  • Regulates the functions of the central nervous system that lie outside its major components (brain and spinal cord)
  • Subdivided into the somatic system and the autonomic nervous system
• Somatic nervous system


  • Responsible for carrying motor and sensory information both to and from the central nervous system
  • Made up of nerves that connect to the skin, sensory organs, and all skeletal muscles
  • Responsible for nearly all voluntary muscle movements and for processing sensory information from external stimuli
• Afferent sensory neurons


  • Allow communication between nerves throughout the body and the central nervous system
  • Conduct information inward to the central nervous system
• Efferent motor neurons


  • Allow communication between nerves throughout the body and the central nervous system
  • Conduct information outward from the central nervous system to the muscle fibers
• Autonomic nervous system


  Further divided into the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system
• Sympathetic nervous system


  • Vital to survival
  • Responsible for the "fight or flight" response to danger
• Parasympathetic nervous system


  • Counterbalances the sympathetic response
  • Brings all the systems of the body back to normal after the threat is gone